Car-fender.



W. C. ABBOTT.

CAR FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov'. 25. |914.

Patented 0151.12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

cal-UMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0..WASH|NGTN, D. c.

W. C. ABBOTT.

CAR FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov, 25, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH co.,WA$HlNaToN. DA c,

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

q 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. C. ABBOTT.

CAB FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 25. I9I4.

1,156,737. Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

c LLLLLLLLLL Noon nnnnnnnnnnnnn a'ron. n. `c.

entre@ @raras reinar orgasm WILLIAM c. ABBOTT, oF BALTIMORE, MARYLANp. l

CAR-FENDER.'

To all ywhom t may concern Be it known that I, NILLIAM` C. ABBOTT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Fenders; and I do hereby declare the Vfollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 1 My invention relates to improvements in fenders for power driven vehicles, particularly street cars, and has forV its primaryobject to'provide a fender, which when struck by an object on the track will operate to cut o the current to the motors and bring about application of the brakes of the car, thus automatically stopping the car.4

Another objectr is tohprovide simple and effective means to cut oii' the currentV and eect an application of -Vthe brakes and move an auxiliary fender into .opera-tive position, directly in front of the front wheels of the car, simultaneously, when the Y main fender is struck.

Another object is t0 improve fenders of the character described so as to render them more Apractical and simple as to` consti-uc ytion in order that they may be easily attached to various kinds of vehicles without materially increasing the cost of manufac-r ture thereof. o

One of the most important ob]ects of my invention is to provide means arranged bef tween the main and auxiliary fenders at a point slightly spaced from the track surengaged by an object, the auxiliary fender face which will prevent an object Vor person from falling between the main and auxiliary fenders land passing under' the auxiliary fender, said means being connected with the device in such manner that when is thrown into operative position and the car brought to astop.

The above and additionalobjects are ac complislied by such meansvas yare illustrated` in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then morev particularly pointed out in the claims.

lith reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice,-4

and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals` designate corresponding parts: Figure l is a fragspeciacationbf Letters Patent. pamgd @m5, 12, 1915; Application led November 2,5, 1914. Serial No. 874,031. i

through astreetv ca'r VonA the line l-l of Fig. V 2 showing my. improved fender attached Ythereto andin side elevation, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the fender showing it attached to the car, Fig. 3 is a bottom plan" viewz of the car showing the mechanism assembledrand attached thereto. Fig. 4jis a fragmentary detail horizontal sectional view taken "online-444 of Fig. l, Fig 5 is an enlarged. front elevation. ofY a part of theem'ergency braking means, Fig. t3 is an enlarged detail sectional View showing the mannery of connecting thei'main fender framewith the car, and Fig; 7 is an enlarged detail: side elevation offthe means f for cutting offthe current to the motors.A

ReferringV to 'the drawings Aby characters of reference,iA designates as an entirety, a street car, B themainfender attached to the forward. end thereof andn C an auxiliary fender arranged f in rear of the vmain fender' and in front 'of` the` forward wheels of the' car. l `Secured/to .the forward end of the caris aAU-shaped frame 1 which carries a U-shaped main fender frame 2. The side arms of the main fender frame are sldableV through openings inthe transverse' 'portion' Aof the-fender'supporting :frame 1. These said' side bars atapoint" intermediate the ends thereof. A fenderv net 5. is secured to the top frame 3 and to ythefront cross bar or portion ofthe fender framef2, and also to parts of the side bars thereof, as shownin Figs. land 2. It will thus be seenthat the'top frame 3 is permitted ,movement relative tothe portion of the frame that is carried between the forward extremities' of the side bars of the U-shaped frame 2Q The ends of the side arms oftheframe 2 arefpivoted as at 6 .to the 'free endsof aninverted U- shaped frame or`lever 7. The" frame ory lever'7 is disposed in approximately vertical position and has its .pivot portion 8 rotatalolyy journaledfin supporting arms 9 that areV secured to the forward part of the car A and extend outwardly therefrom in a hor- ,H0

e se

izontal plane. Stay wires 10 are secured at their ends to the arms 9 and forward portions of the side bars 2. Eyes 11 are carried Vby the frame 3 adjacent to the 'upper -end thereof and on opposite sides, and receive the stay rods or elements 10. I

A substantially upright operating lever 12 is pivoted intermediate its ends to a bracket 13 carried at the front of .the car A. An ear 14 is carried by the lever 12 and said ear is pivoted tothe bracket so as to space the lever from the car. A rod 15 is pivoted at one end fas at 16 ltothe lower extremity of the `lever 12-,andat its other end is loosely connected with the auxiliary fenn der C. The auxiliary yfender C is `of the scoop type and is pivoted at its upper end between depending arm 175securedrto the platform 18 of the car A. The fender C is of 'greater width than the forward truck of the car, that is to say,'extends beyond the wheels of the car on either side thereof and is formed at a point adjacent to its upper end with angularly and upwardly directed portions 19 that are Ashaped'to guardthe wheels. The fender C isarranged adjacent to the wheelsjand is normally supported in up positionV as shown in fF-ig. 1 and Vwhen Ymoved into operative position has its lower edge disposed `in -close 4relation to the track thus positively preventing persons from beingrun over by the wheels ofa-calr'or struck I by the wheels.

A trigger 20 is fixed vto the rotarypivot portion of the frame 7 at a "point interjmedia'te vthe ends of said pivot'po'r ions '8 and is formed on one side face with a pin Y receiving 'recess 21 that is :designed Vto, receive 5a pin 22 which is "carried by the A`levier 12. The Vpin andre'cess are so arranged that when 'the 'lever is` moved Kat its upper end `toward ithe-car, or `is in normal position, the

pin will fit yivi-thin the yrecess and hold the lever in such position. A handle28 is provided @on the `trigger V2O .to provide forthe manual operation 'of the idevice o'r the setting of the trigger. When the "fender B vis struck -it yields 'or moves inwardly lcausilng the side 'bars of the fra-ine 2 to move fthe side bars ofthe frame? *inwardly and rotate the pivot portionS .of the frame 7 When the web xporti'onS is rotated as described, the

trigger y20 will zmove upwardly and out nof .and which operates to communicate a pull 'to -the rod 25 when the lever 12 is released.

As a means for cutting ed the current to the motors of the car A, l provide a knife switch 29 that is secured at a point under neath the car and adjacent to the controller box, not shown, and is operatively connected in the electrical circuit for the car. The knife blade for this switch is normally held in contacting engagement with the cont-ac*` 31 by means of a retractile yspring 32.

Y `A bell crank 83 is Apivoted intermediate its Vends as at 34 to the lower end of a depending arm 35 that is. secured tothe platform 1S of the car A and one end of the bell crank is connected by means of a flexible element 3.6 to the handle of the knife 30 of the switch 29. vrlhe other end of the bell crank is bifurcated as at 37 and slidably receives the rod 25. Projections '38 are carried upon the rod 25 and are spaced from one another and arranged cn opposite sides ofthe 'bi'.furcated terminals 37 of the bell crank 33 thus when the rod 'is moved or bettera pull communicated thereto, the bell crank is rocked and the switch blade 30 pulled out of contact with the contact member '31 breaking the circuit for the motors oft-he car. f f

I provide emergency braking means which Vcomprises an inverted 'U-shaped frame 39 that is secured at 'its web portion to the under -part of the car A and has journaled in its free `end `and transversely thereof a rotary shaft 40. T he ends of the shaft extend beyond the side arms of the frame 39 and have fixed thereto brake shoes 41 arranged to Contact with the forward wheels of the car. An upstanding longitudinally slotted operating member 42 is-lixedto the shaft 40 and 'slidably receives inthe slotted portion thereof the rod 25. A collar 43 is fixed to the shaft 40 at a Ipoint in advance of the operating member 42 so that when the rod 25 is pulled inwardly, the member 42 will be moved accordingly and will. eect a rotary movement of the shaft 40 resulting in the application of the brake shoes 41. lt will thus be seen that simultaneously with the moving of the auxiliary fender into operative position and the cutting off of the current to the motors, the emergency braking means will be 'operatedY f The car A is equipped with the ordinary air brake :apparatus which includes an air tank 44, brake cylinder 45 and a piston rod 46 connected 'with the brake C.Ylinder and with `the brake rigging, not shown.

A motorman or engineers valve 46 of the ordinary co'nst'r'uction is carried by the car A Yand appe 48 connects the air tank. A

pipe 49 leads from the valve 47 to the brake cylinder 45 and communication with the pipes 4S and 49 is had by means of the valve 47. vent pipe 50 is connected with the valve 47 .and may be communicated with the pipe 49 by means of the valve 47. A branch pipe 51 connects the pipes 48fand 49 with one another at a point adjacent to the tank 44 and brake cylinder 45 and a rotary valve 52 is mounted in the pipe 51 at a point adjacent to its connection with the pipe 49.` A bell crank 53 is pivoted to a suitable bracket carried upon the under part of the car A and is provided with a slotted end 53a which slidably receives an angular valve handle 54 that is connected with the valve 52. The other end of the bell crank 53 is pivoted as at 55 to the rear end of the operating rod 25. It will be seen that when the rod 25 is pulled inwardly, the bell crank 52 will move so as to open the valve 52 and allow the air to flow from the pipe 48 through the pipes 51 and 49 to brake cylinder 45. The application of the brakes is thus brought about automatically when the fender strikes an object. 'Ihe spring 28 returns the mechanism tonormal position. y

As a means for preventing an object from falling between the main and auxiliary fenders and passing under the auxiliary fender when the same is in up position, I extend the side arms of the frame 7 downwardly and forwardly to a point slightly spaced from the track surface and connect the lower ends by means of a horizontal bar D. rrIhe bar D is disposed in a horizontal plane and is within several inches of the ground. The means described is arranged in advance of the fender C. Thus when an object between the main and auxiliary fenders is struck by the bar D of the extended parts of the frame 7 the part S of the frame 7 will be rotated and as previously described, the various mechanisms operated to bring the car to a stop.

vWith reference to the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will be observed that I have provided a fender which when struck by an object will operate to automatically move the auxiliary fender into operative position to cut off the current to the motors for the carand bring about an emergency application of the brakes thus quickly stopping the car.

. In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eHicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of.

my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts maybe resortedto, when required,.without sacrificing any of claimed. f

Wha-tis'claimed is l. The'combination with a car, of a main fender slidably mounted on the car, an auxiliary fender pivotally mounted beneath the car in rearA of the main fender, an upright operating lever fulcrumed intermediate of its endsat a pointbetween the said fenders and having its lower arm operatively con.-`

the advantages of my invention, as

nected with the main fender so as to move an operating rod slidably mounted on the car and connected with the operating lever, and brake mechanism connected with the operating rod.

2. In a car fender the combination with a car,lhaving a brake and provided with propelling means, of a main fender slidingly supported on the car, an auxiliary fender hinged to the oar in rear of the main fender and normally disposed in an inoperative position, an operating lever pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends and operatively connected with the .main fender so as to move therewith, an operating rod slidablv carried by the car and'pivotally connected with the said operating lever, a rod connected with the yauxiliary fenderfand pivotally connected with the operating lever, means for operatively connecting the operating rod with the brakewhereby .when the operating rod is moved in one direction the brake will be applied', spring means for normally holding the operating rod in an inoperative position, means to releasingly hold the lever in an inoperative position, the

. last mentioned means, being connected with the main fender and adapted to be moved to releasingposition, when the said main fender is struck and means for connecting the operating rod with the propelling means of the car for stopping the latter.

3. In a car fender the combination with a car havingfabrake and provided with propelling means, of a main fender slidably mounted on the car, an auxiliary fender movably mounted on the car in rear of the main fender and normally disposed in inoperative position, an operating` lever operatively connected with the main fender yto move with` the same, an operating rod slidably mounted on the car and Vpivotally con-V nected withv the operating lever, meansv for connecting the auxiliary fender with the operating lever, means for operatively connecting the said rod with the brake, means forV releasingly holding the operating lever in an inoperative position, the last mentioned means being operatively connected 12ov f wie with the main fender and adapted v co 'be moved to a releasing position when the main fender is struck, and means for operatively Y Connecting the said roel with the propelling,` ineens for stopping the car ywhen the main fender is struck. Y

4:. ln a car fender the combination With u om', of a main fender yieldably mounted on the ear, an auxiliary fender adjustably connected with the ear and arranged in rear Vof the ymain fender, an operating lever located 'between and lConnected with the said fenders and adapted to move upon the yielding ofi Clie ymein "enider, an Voper-ting rod s'llclabl'y moiintetl on 'the ear and connected with elle sal'cl operating lever, a "switch Carried by JChe ear, and a `loell crank lever fulcrulned on theoer'ancl having one arm connected with the said operati-ng rod and its other arm connected With the said switch.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

./VLLIAM C. ABBOTT.

. l/Vitnesses:

JOHN W'. BACKER, Jr., GEORGE D, LIST.

Copies of this patent may 'be -obtaned for 've cents each,'b`y'ad11es`siiig the Commissioner lof Patents,

Washingtom'l). C. 

